THE Birmingham Mail’s Mike Lockley has been named Britain’s Columnist of the Year (weekly) at the prestigious Regional Press Awards – the ‘Oscars’ of the industry. And the Mail itself has been recognised as one of the best regional newspapers in the UK.

The judges of the awards, which attracted more than 800 entries, were knocked out by a portfolio of Mike’s trademark comment columns from the Mail and Sunday Mercury.

“With an easy and entertaining style, Mike Lockley uses well-crafted comedy and anecdote to make telling points,” they said. “Judges praised the column for consistently hitting the mark.”

It was the third award of the year for Mike, who had been highly commended in the Reporter of the Year category, and who won the Headline of the Year trophy, at the recent Midlands Media Awards.

At the 2017 Birmingham Press Club-organised Midlands Media Awards Mike was acknowledged as the News Reporter of the Year (Weekly) in addition to winning The President’s Award for “showing all-year round consistency.”

At the Regional Press Awards, held on Friday, 17 May, which celebrated the very best in journalism, the Birmingham Mail was highly commended in the Newspaper of the Year category, judges remarking on its “diet of news, sport and features”, and “independent identity”. The Mail’s digital sister, BirminghamLive, went on to scoop more honours at the ceremony staged at London’s IET.

BirminghamLive won the Reporting Communities Award for the website’s coverage of, and features on, Ramadan masterminded by Sarah Probert and David Bentley. It was, said the judges, “well-crafted coverage focusing on major festivals in the Muslim calendar. The BirminghamLive team wrote a live blog on community celebrations in Small Heath Park, the largest in Europe, which helped inform the wider readership of the event and its background.”

And BrumFeeds, which successfully collected a mountain of goods for the city’s foodbanks was highly commended in the Campaign of the Year section.

Run by BirminghamLive’s Annette Belcher, and supported by the Birmingham Mail, judges said: “This was a superbly executed campaign bringing to life the stories of real people forced to rely on food banks, many due to Universal Credit. Striking a chord with readers through social media engagement, BrumFeeds more than doubled its original food donation target.”

Appearing elsewhere on the shortlists was The Lonely Death Of Janet Parker – Mail content editor Andy Richards’ examination of the world’s last smallpox death in Birmingham – making both the Supplement of the Year and Overall Digital Award categories for what judges called “a hugely ambitious digital storytelling project, a fantastic podcast series the judges said was the highest quality in every respect.”

BirminghamLive’s Stephanie Balloo was shortlisted as one of Britain’s best young reporters. “Combining a variety of sources with great use of video skills, she has proven herself a talented emerging multi-platform journalist,” judges said. “Compelling stories on anti-social behaviour were strengthened with well-chosen crime data and video clips.”

There was also praise for the Mail’s sister-publication, Sunday Mercury, too, as the newspaper appeared as a shortlisted finalist. “The Sunday Mercury celebrated its centenary in 2018,” judges said. “A century on, the paper still lives up to its reputation for big exclusives, investigations and human interest stories.”

Highly commended kin the Weekly Photographer category was Mark Williamson, from the Stratford Herald, who, in 2016, won the News Photographer of the Year Award at the Midlands Media Awards.

HSBC UK’s new award-winning £170 million 10-storey national headquarters building - located at Centenary Square, Birmingham and now home to 2,500 staff - is to play host to Birmingham Press Club’s Networking Night on Wednesday 5 June.

Club members will be given a conducted tour of the HSBC University, an advanced teaching facility that offers opportunities for HSBC employees in the UK and Europe to train, learn skills and obtain qualifications. Bank executives have forecast that the University will be a “significant magnet of talent” over the next 20 years.

The University “campus” includes a 110-person lecture theatre and connected classrooms, an Innovation Lab for workshops and idea generation, 17 training rooms and “The Market Place” – a dedicated dining area.

Also, members of the bank’s Archives Team will show guests the Heritage Display on Level 2 - showcasing HSBC’s history from its roots in Hong Kong through to the present day – and the digital war memorial positioned in the reception area.

In the 2019 RICS Annual Awards for the West Midlands, where a diverse range of the region’s most impressive and community beneficial property schemes battled it out for top honours, the HSBC UK headquarters won the Commercial Category.

The judges, who said they were “amazed” by the building as a bespoke solution to the demands of new banking regulations, added that it provided a “fitting solution” at the heart of the bank’s birthplace in Birmingham city centre. They said that the building – delivered by Arcadis, Make Architects and Galliford Try – “sets a very high benchmark for HSBC’s global portfolio to aspire to.”

The RICS said that the strength of HSBC UK's commitment, its involvement throughout the process and the high quality of the final delivered product, demonstrated a strong partnership, which had delivered significant gains for all parties.

HSBC UK”s chief executive Ian Stuart and senior members of the bank’s media team will be in attendance to meet Press Club guests on the building’s Level 10 Terrace, with its impressive views over the Birmingham skyline, for a reception which commences at 6 pm.

HSBC UK has been the Press Club’s main sponsor for the last three years.

A Staffordshire weekly newspaper has successfully located nine footballers who secured a trophy triumph for its patch 30 years ago.

The Tamworth Herald – twice voted Newspaper of the Year at the Press Club-organised Midlands Media Awards – produced a special supplement to mark three decades since Tamworth FC won the FA Vase, the national competition for clubs playing in the lower reaches of England’s non-league pyramid.

Sports editor Matt Panter had worked over the past months to trace as many of those involved in the victory for the club as he could – even managing to get a phone interview with manager Graham Smith from his home in Cyprus.

Former Herald staff, ex-sports editor Sam Holliday and photographer Paul Barber, were also involved in the production of the 16-page supplement.

Second World War veterans and their families are being asked by a Birmingham manufacturer to help locate the “Lost Clickers'” of the D-Day landings.

ACME Whistles, founded in 1870 by brothers Joseph and James Hudson, is working with The Royal British Legion on the mission to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

The company, which makes the traditional Birmingham Press Club bugles that are awarded to Honorary Life Members, is searching for the original “Clickers” that were issued to the American Airborne Division as a vital piece of survival equipment.

Paratroopers were dropped into darkness behind enemy lines on the night before D-Day. If they were not alone when they landed, or later detected someone close by, they were to click once with two clicks in reply meaning friend and no response meaning something else. It was assumed that Clickers would be captured and even replicated so they were to be used for 24 hours only and after that banned completely.

ACME, which is based in Hockley, said many replica and counterfeit Clickers had been found but very few genuine originals had ever been seen. Around 7,000 Clickers were made during the six-month period immediately before D-Day in 1945 with some nickel-plated but other just left in plain brass to ensure there was time for every Clicker to be individually tested in time for D-Day.

ACME said the genuine originals would have tell-tale features that only it would recognise.

Simon Topman (pictured), who is managing director of the company, said: "During World War II, ACME played a vital role in the war effort. There was no commercial trade as production was given over entirely to making whistles for the war effort and, of course, Clickers.

"The factory itself was bombed when incendiary bombs were dropped and one found its way down the lift shaft, exploding in the cellar. Whistles were sent raining out into the streets of Birmingham, a third of the factory was demolished, but so essential were its products that it was rebuilt in just four days.

"We have people contact us regularly with ACME Thunderers, Metropolitan Police Whistles, Artillery Whistles and Infantry Whistles that were used in World War II but never a Clicker.

“Perhaps your Great Grandad was a D-Day veteran; maybe he has a box of war medals where it could lie unknown. Maybe an elderly neighbour is a widow od a D-Day veteran who doesn’t realise the significance of the unassuming Clicker,” he added.

Catherine Davies, head of remembrance at The Royal British Legion, said: "D-Day marked a turning point in the Second World War and changed the course of history. As we commemorate 75 years since the Normandy landings it's great to see organisations such as ACME find ways to thank this special generation and we look forward to seeing what the search for the lost Clickers unveils."

ACME is planning to hold a commemorative day for veterans, friends and family who find any of the Clickers.

For more details about the initiative contact Ben McFarlane on email ben.mcfarlane@acmewhistles.co.uk or call 0121 554 2124.

Birmingham Press Club’s Networking Night in May is taking place at BBC Birmingham at The Mailbox – providing members with a guided tour behind the scenes of its TV and radio studios.

So if you are a fan of Midlands Today, BBC WM and The Archers – the world’s longest-running soap opera – then this is for you.

“The tour also presents an opportunity to learn about BBC Three and discover what it takes to put together high quality news bulletins every day and how BBC drama is made,” said Jenny Wilkes, Partnership & Events Manager, BBC Midlands.

For fans of The Archers, which has been produced in Birmingham ever since it began in 1950, there will also be a chance to visit a special exhibition that showcases the history, milestone moments and celebrity fans of the radio institution. On display will be some of the real-life objects used to create the drama’s special soundscape.

If you want to book your place on the tour on 21 May please email fred.bromwich@btinternet.com The tour will commence at 7 pm, preceded by a reception at 6 pm.

An East Midlands journalist says his award-winning newspaper column has been axed because his print piece wouldn’t get enough clicks online.

Anton Rippon (pictured) first worked for the Derby Telegraph in 1965 and has written a column for the paper since 1999. Now he has revealed that last Wednesday’s column was his last for the paper, claiming he was told his success “is now judged purely on website page views not print sales.”

Anton, who was named Newspaper Columnist of the Year in 2017 at the Birmingham Press Club-organised Midlands Media Awards, has written more than 1,000 weekly columns for the Telegraph since 1999, and has also produced a weekly Derby County FC piece and supplied sport and general news features to the paper over the past 10 years.

Until this week he also produced the paper’s weekly eight-page nostalgia supplement with his author daughter Nicola.

Anton told the Sports Journalists’ Association: “I’ve been told that success is now judged purely on website page views not print sales. “My column might be popular with newspaper readers, but it’s thought that if it went online it wouldn’t get enough clicks.

“So my contract has ended. It is a most amicable parting, though. Times change. Life moves on.”

Anton worked as a reporter for what was then the Derby Evening Telegraph and as a feature writer for the Nottingham Evening Post before going freelance in 1981.

He covered the Midlands and South Yorkshire football beats for the Sunday Telegraph, wrote for The Times, The Independent and The Guardian, and worked for BBC local radio before launching Breedon Books in 1984.

Anton added: “I have a great affection for the Derby paper which I first joined in 1965. It’s been a privilege to work with so many talented journalists, in particular the current sports department.

“On top of the Derby Telegraph and Burton Mail sport pages, I’m told they are taking on more responsibility for Nottingham Post sport pages with Leicester Mercury sport pages further down the line. They are one of the best regional sports teams in the country.

“I started in the days of manual typewriters and scrounging a telephone, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. There are now different ways of delivering news, but print editions giving readers good local content and building up trust with them could still prosper given a chance.

“A few years ago I saw a cartoon where a youngster is asking an old journalist: ‘You mean you used to take what was on your website and print it on paper?’ It was funny then, but, regionally at least, print is now becoming a neglected afterthought.

“The other day I was telling a young reporter that we called the stop-press the ‘fudge’. He said: ‘Sorry, what was the stop-press?’ So maybe it’s time for me to go. I’m not retiring, though. I’ve signed contracts for four books for a major publisher over the next three years.”

Press Club members are in for a treat – a “private viewing” of a picturesque four-acre bluebell wood that annually raises money for charity.

This year, the attraction, which is owned by Press Club director Peter Brookes and his wife Jen, will be open during the weekend of 6-7 May for the National Garden Scheme. But Club members will get their “exclusive” look on Sunday, 28 April – which should be the height of the bluebell season.

The wood will be open from 11 am until 1 pm – with visitors being provided with tea and coffee.

“But if visitors want something stronger can they please bring their own bottle of booze. I wouldn’t want to empty Jen’s gin store!” said Peter.

He added: “It is a quintessentially English scene – the bluebells cascade down our natural river banks to Smestow Brook, which joins the River Stour nearby. There are almost four acres of bluebells, forming a blue carpet between the trees and experts tell us the bluebells may date back a thousand years.

“The river bank shows evidence of quarrying – thought to be the site of ancient nail-making pre-dating the Industrial Revolution. And there’s plenty of wildlife – if you are lucky you may spot the Kingfishers swooping over the stream,” said Peter.

The offer is free to Press Club members. But if you plan to visit during the National Garden Scheme weekend expect to pay! More than 1,000 people have visited the woods in the last three years.

Please note the woods contain a couple of steep paths, which are not suitable for wheelchairs. Strong footwear is recommended.

A University of Gloucestershire student carried off the top award at the Midlands Media Student Awards, held in Birmingham on 10 April.

Hesham Abdelhamid (pictured), who lives in Cheltenham, took the Student of the Year accolade after having collected the Features Category trophy earlier in the evening.

The awards, organised by Birmingham Press Club to acknowledge the achievements of next-generation journalists, broadcasters and photographers, attracted several hundred entries from universities and colleges from the East and West Midlands. The awards ceremony was held at Mama Roux’s leisure venue in Digbeth, hosted by BBC Radio WM presenter Alex Noble.

Headline sponsor was Amazon UK Services Ltd, whose Community Relations Manager, Neil Williams, presented the Student of the Year trophy. He said: “This has been a tremendous opportunity to work with the Birmingham Press Club to both encourage aspiring journalists and recognise the best emerging talent. It’s great to see the world’s oldest press club looking to the future with the Midlands Media Students’ Awards, which we’re delighted to support.”

Further sponsorship support came from HSBC UK, the Press Club’s overall sponsor, and the Universities of Birmingham City, De Montfort, Gloucestershire, Northampton and Worcester.

The judges likened Hesham’s work to what they would expect from a “seasoned journalist working in the profession for years.”

Hesham (faridthezine@gmail.com) is co-founder of a magazine that has been acknowledged as the “fastest growing student publication of 2018.”

His award-winning portfolio – praised for its thorough planning and research - tackled serious subjects such as professional humility, an aspect of conflict within society and the fascination with the trend of creating fake news. The judges said that his self-confessed experimental, emotional, funny and sassy style of writing made them all the more entertaining.

Commenting on one of his feature entries, Hesham said: “Following a negative experience at a networking conference, I wrote a long-form feature on why, being humble in the way you describe yourself as a professional/creative and letting your work speak for itself, is the best way to get noticed in any saturated industry.”

In an unprecedented move in the highly competitive Sport Category, the judges named three students – Molly Hudson (Staffordshire University) Adam Barker and David Wainwright (both University of Derby) – as joint winners.

Birmingham Press Club chairman Llewela Bailey said: “Many well-known names in the media world have kick-started their careers after having successfully negotiated their courses at Midland universities and colleges. And I have no doubt that those who entered our awards will be following in their footsteps. The standard of submitted work was truly outstanding – a real credit to the lecturers who are helping to craft their careers.”

MIDLANDS MEDIA AWARD WINNERS - 2019

BROADCASTING (RADIO):

Winner: Lucy Ryan, Birmingham City University, for her epic series “The Lonely Death of Janet Parker,” all about the world’s last recorded smallpox fatality, which occurred in Birmingham in 1978.The judges said it was thoroughly researched, well edited, with proportionate use of both first hand accounts and expert analysis. A tragic series of events turned into a compelling listen.

Highly commended: Ama Esson, University of Northampton, whose entry examined the link between Drill Music and street crime.

Winner: James Williams, of University of Lincoln, who demonstrated good story lines, good editing and audio in a presentation portfolio that was clearly well researched with excellent interviewees. The judges said he showed real flair, presence and active involvement. They added that the results were a credit to the University, its lecturers and students.

Highly commended: Hafsa Naveed, Birmingham City University, whose well-researched, sensitively-approached documentary on forced marriage and honour-based abuse in the UK provided a telling insight into the lives of two women survivors

Highly Commended: Hannah Brown, University of Lincoln, for an excellent compilation of stories ranging from the disappearance of a city icon, the loss of an important public service, to a light-hearted look at New Year Resolutions.

Highly Commended: Katharyn Daniels, University of Lincoln, whose work included the opening of a Bomber Command memorial, a student-led initiative supporting young women and a look at the growing issue of food banks.

AWARD PRESENTED BY BOB WARMAN, ITV CENTRAL AND PRESIDENT OF BIRMINGHAM PRESS CLUB

CULTURE

Winner: Kaylee Poloczek, University of Northampton, for a stand out entry with a documentary-style interview with two women who were part and parcel of gangland London in the Sixties – Maureen Flanagan, a Page 3 pin-up and hairdresser to Ronnie and Reggie Kray’s mother, and Veronica, the wife of rival gang boss Charlie Richardson. The judges especially liked the pre-interview footage of the women “adjusting” themselves for the camera. A 10-minute interview, which captured a lot about what the women did and didn’t know about the violent world around them.

Highly commended: Lydia Johnson, Birmingham City University, for her blog on how she went about getting a placement on Cosmo magazine.

AWARD PRESENTED BY RACHEL AMMONDS, JOURNALISM COURSE LEADER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WORCESTER

DATA JOURNALISM

Winner: Victoria Oliveres, Birmingham City University, took the award in a category, which, like all others, was blessed with a very high standard of work. In today’s “big data” age, there are those whose intention is to “hide” unwelcome truths – and it is a vital dimension of any journalist’s role in the 21st century to make sense of it all and uncover the stories that need telling. The judges said that using FOI details extracted from 26 police forces, Victoria produced a well-researched and comprehensive piece of work to reveal that online disability hate crimes had tripled in three years. Her entry displayed a new angle to the on-going issue of hate crime – with social media companies in the spotlight for their failure to monitor and block unacceptable content.

Highly Commended: Sania Aziz, Birmingham City University, for her brave investigative piece of work into sexual assaults which occur within the so-called safe havens of university campuses.

Highly Commended: Calum Archibald, Birmingham City University, who tackled the topical subject of calling upon football clubs to do more to support people with mental health issues.

Winner: Hesham Abdelhamid, of University of Gloucester, is co-founder of a magazine that won the accolade of “fastest growing student publication of 2018.”

His entry tackled serious subjects such as professional humility, an aspect of conflict within society and the fascination with the trend of creating fake news. But his self-confessed experimental, emotional, funny and sassy style of writing made them all the more entertaining.The judges said Hesham had demonstrated his skills in thoroughly planning out and researching compelling, and most of all, interesting features. His work, all about shedding light on something new, entices the reader into reading more. The judges likened his work to what they would expect from a seasoned journalist working in the profession for years.

Highly Commended: Eve Smallman, of Nottingham Trent University. As editor-in-chief of the Students’ Union magazine, Eve is always on the look-out for a story that engages her readers – and she clearly demonstrates this skill with a compelling portfolio of articles, reflecting the serious, the sensitive and the fun side of life.

Highly Commended: Gurjeet Nanrah, of Nottingham Trent University, who produced an emotional story about a Muslim doctor whose great-grandfathers fought for the British Army in WW1 in a Punjabi Regiment – highlighting, the largely overlooked, sacrifice made by ethnic minorities for the British Empire. Also, an enthralling interview with a criminal defence lawyer whose career is highly successful – despite him being blind since the age of eight.

Highly Commended: James Williams, of University of Lincoln, who produced a radio documentary about Christianity in crisis; a TV feature on the use of 3G pitches in football and an example of a weekly local football review show.

AWARD PRESENTED BY KATE IRONSIDE, JOURNALISM SENIOR LECTURER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTON

NEWS

Winner: Wan Ulfa Nur Zuhra, Birmingham City University, whose work stood out for its powerful mixture of investigative and data journalism on topical public interest issues. There was good analysis and strong human-interest angles, well crafted in an accessible writing style,

Highly commended Becky Tombs, University of Derby, for using her initiative in seeking the comments of customers on “rows of closed shops” and problems hitting small businesses.

Highly Commended: Elliott Hawkins, University of Lincoln, demonstrated his multi-platform skills with a hard news story on road deaths in Lincolnshire and a TV package on Lincoln City’s first visit to Wembley.

Highly commended:Lynn Butler, University of Wolverhampton, who came up with a fresh angle on the Enoch Powell blue plaque storm which gave her a page-lead in a print newspaper

Winner:Kirsty Hatton, University of Worcester, whose portfolio of street photography shots was all about observation and finding something interesting in everyday life. The judges said she had a good creative eye with a theme in mind, which was reflected in a set of well-composed images.

Highly Commended: Ellen Flannery, University of Worcester, whose photographs depicted the diverse and unique characters of “normal” people in their everyday working environment.

Winner: Adrienne Titley, of University of Worcester, for filming, editing and producing a documentary short on the severity of male suicide in the UK and what life is like for those left behind. Sadly, Adrienne’s father took his own life and the judges said this was a particularly brave decision to tackle a topic so close to home. Adrienne’s project was conducted during the final year of her journalism degree and since then she has campaigned vigorously to raise awareness of male suicide, appearing on TV and writing blogs for Huffington Post to highlight the alarming increase in suicide rates over the last four years. The judges said it was a powerful, hard-hitting and eye-opening video, lifted by its tone, use of graphics and crafted with real creativity.

Highly Commended; Ama Esson, of University of Northampton, for an in-depth investigation into whether it was fair of politicians to stand up in Parliament and blame the Drill music genre for a rise in knife crime

AWARD PRESENTED BY ANNE DAWSON, HEAD OF MEDIA SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE

SOCIAL MEDIA JOURNALISM

WINNER: Beth Ennis & Katharyn Daniels, of University of Lincoln, whose 'Taboo' branded website tackles controversial topics and engages an impressive audience. One topic, about anti-vax campaigners was picked up by an Irish Times journalist who then started a debate of his own. The inclusion of readers comments in articles is exactly what modern newspapers and broadcasters and clambering to do.

Highly Commended: Thomas Smith, of University of Derby, who produced Instagram stories while working in Russia for the Football Supporters’ Federation and while covering the Under 17 Euro Football Championships in England. Live Twitter updates following the helicopter tragedy at King Power Stadium completed his portfolio.

AWARD PRESENTED BY SARAH JONES, HEAD OF MEDIA SCHOOL, BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY

SPORT

Winners: Molly Hudson, Staffordshire University, who is now a freelance sports journalist with a specialism for women’s football. Her portfolio comprised of work published in the national media, including a medical-based feature and a more light-hearted contribution about two women footballers balancing their personal life with work commitments.

Adam Barker, a first-year football journalism student at the University of Derby, who submitted a variety of talented work about coaching, thoughts on Wayne Rooney’s legacy and a Norwich City match report.

David Wainwright, University of Derby, loves football and also has a passion for boxing – highlighted by two knockout interviews with heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte and Conor Blackshaw ahead of his challenge for the English flyweight title.

Highly Commended: James Williams, of University of Lincoln, for a great all-round performance in written, video and radio format.

Highly commended: Sam Ogun, of University of Northampton, whose portfolio features a very worthy BAME football article.

Highly commended: Louis Mitchell, of University of Derby, whose excellent easy-to-read articles on the world of women’s football had the judges hooked

Highly Commended: Thomas Jobson, of Staffordshire University, whose well-written portfolio included attention-grabbing articles on the journey to becoming a professional footballer (from the parents perspective) and youth trials and mental health.

Winner: Hesham Abdelhamid, of University of Gloucester, whose desire to make his features as entertaining as possible certainly worked wonders with the judges. They not only found his entry really entertaining and compelling but also highly professional. A polished performance.

A talented young radio presenter will be guest speaker at the Midlands Media Student Awards, being held in Birmingham on Wednesday, 10 April.

Alex Noble (pictured), a graduate from the University of Nottingham, showcases new musical talent on the radio programme, BBC Music Introducing in the West Midlands.

BBC Music Introducing, first launched in 2007, is dedicated to discovering and supporting new music. It allows undiscovered artists to have their tracks played on BBC local radio shows and also provides up-and-coming artists with broadcast opportunities on TV and online, as well as the chance to perform at major festivals and showcases.

Alex, who has also worked as a BBC producer in the East Midlands, said: “Showcasing some of the best in new music from one of the most vibrant areas in the UK is a delight. But, as a freelance social media strategist myself, I’m also well aware of the emerging talent amongst the region’s media sector so it will be great to meet and discuss the future with our next-generation media specialists.”

The Midlands Media Student Awards, originally introduced in 2015 to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Birmingham Press Club, the event organisers, are this year being held on 10 April at Mama Roux’s, the home of Digbeth Dining Club.

Birmingham City University, the University of Gloucestershire and the University of Northampton have all confirmed sponsorship, together with the Press Club’s overall sponsor, HSBC UK and the main sponsor for the evening Amazon.

Speaking of the decision to team up with the Awards ceremony, Neil Williams, Community Relations Manager for Amazon said : “It’s a tremendous opportunity to work with the Birmingham Press Club to both encourage aspiring journalists and recognise the best emerging talent. It’s great to see the world’s oldest press club looking to the future with the Midlands Media Students’ Awards which we’re delighted to support.”

Award categories include broadcasting, culture, data journalism, features, news, social media and photography. Event organisers said that the deadline for receipt of entries was 7 March.

Lincoln University student Natasha Turney, chosen as Student of the Year at the inaugural awards, is now a BBC broadcast journalist, while Worcester University student Conor Rees, who took the accolade in 2016, is publishing a lifestyle magazine.

Five Midland universities are among a raft of supporters to have come on board to back the Midlands Media Students’ Awards, which are being revived after a lapse of more than two years by Birmingham Press Club.

Sponsorship has been confirmed by Birmingham City University, De Montfort University’s School of Media, the University of Gloucestershire, the University of Northampton, and the University of Worcester.

As well as being supported by the Press Club’s overall sponsor, HSBC UK, the Awards this year will be sponsored and supported by Amazon.

Neil Williams, Community Relations Manager for the company said: “It’s a tremendous opportunity to work with the Birmingham Press Club to both encourage aspiring journalists and recognise the best emerging talent. It’s great to see the world’s oldest press club looking to the future with the Midlands Media Students’ Awards which we’re delighted to support.”

Both Amazon and the Press Club’s overall sponsors HSBC acknowledge the talents of the Midlands’ next-generation journalists and photographers.

The awards are to take place on 10 April at Mama Roux’s, Digbeth’s latest leisure venue situated at Lower Trinity Street, Birmingham, B9 4AG. Individual tickets are priced at £30, including VAT. To make a booking visit https://www.midlandsmediaawards.co.uk/studentawards

Sarah Jones, who is head of Birmingham City University’s School of Media, said: “Journalism in the region is going from strength to strength. We are seeing a huge increase in the number of students wanting to study journalism that are deeply engaged and looking to find fresh approaches to telling stories.

“The talent is exceptional and it is great to celebrate students across the region at the Midlands Media Awards,” she added.

Ben Archer, a programme leader and senior lecturer at De Montfort University’s Leicester Media School, said: “We are very pleased to be associated again with the Midlands Media Awards in 2019, situated as we are within the highest concentration of creative media businesses outside the M25, and on the threshold of some exciting strategic expansion of opportunities in these industries across the Midlands.”

Anne Dawson (pictured), head of media school at the University of Gloucestershire, said: “Supporting the Midlands Student Media Awards provides the Gloucestershire Media School with an excellent opportunity to showcase our students' work.”

A former BBC and ITV journalist, Anne added: “The awards will enable young journalists to compete in a supportive, professional environment where they can compare the quality, tone and subject matter of their work with that of their peers. We welcome the return of this scheme and look forward to being closely involved.”

Marc Webber, Programme Leader in Media, Journalism and Performance school at the University of Northampton, said: “We are delighted to be supporting a night which turns the spotlight on the future journalists of the Midlands.

“At a time when regional media is coming under scrutiny it is even more imperative we prove that there are still people in the region who care about the issues around them and have great stories to tell.

“Our students are looking forward to pitching their work to the judges,” added Marc, who began his career as a Saturday sports reporter at Red Dragon Radio in Cardiff.

The University of Worcester’s Principal Lecturer in Journalism, Claire Wolfe (pictured), said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their work and we fully endorse the Press Club’s support for helping to bring on the next generation of journalists.

“The role of new entrants to the profession has never been more important. In order to retain a robust democratic society, we need bright, well equipped individuals to fact check information and to question those in power.

“They also need to be able to engage with news consumers across a range of platforms and to tell factual stories in new and vibrant ways. This award scheme champions both the values of established journalistic practice as well as innovation within the profession.”

Press Club chairman Llewela Bailey said: “The region has a wealth of emerging talent that, I am sure, will guarantee the Midlands continuing to be a hotspot for the development of those working in the media industry.”

Lincoln University student Natasha Turney, chosen as Student of the Year at the inaugural awards, is now a BBC broadcast journalist, while Worcester University student Conor Rees, who took the accolade in 2016, is publishing a lifestyle magazine.

Local Newspaper Week has been renamed as“Journalism Matters” in order to better highlight the vital role that journalism plays in society.

This year’s event will take place between 13-19 May, and will include a Trusted News Day on 16 May which will see local newspapers show their readers exactly how trusted news is produced.

Journalism Matters will encompass the Society of Editors Regional Press Awards, at which the annual Making a Difference award for the best local newspaper campaign, as voted for by the public, will be announced.

News Media Association (NMA) chairman David Dinsmore, said: “The role of news media holding power to account is more important now than it ever has been. The new Journalism Matters campaign will boldly and unashamedly champion journalism as a force for good in our society.”

Newsquest chief executive Henry Faure Walker, who is vice-chairman of NMA, said “Local media is the most trusted source for local news and information; more than three times more trusted than social media. As a sector, we must continue to remind all our audiences of the essential role local news brands play in communities the length and breadth of the UK, and Journalism Matters will provide us with a strong platform to do just that.”

Ex-care worker Steven Collins has started his dream job – fulfilling a lifetime’s ambition to become a journalist.

Steven, aged 39, is the first of a legion of 80 Facebook-funded community news reporters to take up a two-year fixed-term contract. Operating from the Worcester office of Newsquest, he will focus on covering stories from the county’s rural communities.

The new jobs are being funded by a £4.5 million charitable donation from Facebook to the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

The training organisation is working with regional publishers to roll out the scheme which, as well as ensuring news coverage for “under-reported” areas, also aims to increase diversity in newsrooms.

Steven, who said he has “Asperger syndrome and is proud of it”, previously worked in the care industry supporting people with mental and physical disabilities. He is halfway through studying for the NCTJ diploma in journalism by distance learning.

“I cried when I was offered the job because it was my life’s ambition to become a journalist and I never thought it would happen. It was a very emotional moment for me. I’m really looking forward to giving a voice to people in rural communities who perhaps feel their views and issues aren’t always heard,” said Steven.

Worcester News editor Michael Purton, said: “I’m really proud that we’re the first to appoint a Facebook funded community reporter, and I’m even prouder that we’ve taken on Steven as it’s fantastic to help someone realise a lifelong ambition that they thought would never come true.

“During the recruitment process, I was blown away by Steven’s passion for local journalism and his determination to become a reporter. He’s going to be a huge asset to our newsroom.

“We all know how important Facebook is for helping local newspapers connect with their community, so for Facebook to fund these roles is fantastic for our industry.”

Networking night is back on the Press Club programme – but this month it’s a different format from that of our traditional “First Thursday” event. Instead, we’ll be taking a close look at the state-of-the-art facilities being used by next-generation journalists and broadcasters who are studying at Birmingham City University.

The University’s School of Media is a recognised centre of excellence in providing media education in the UK and we’ll be able to find out why it is held in such high regard when members visit BCU on 19 March (6.30 pm start).

Sarah Jones, who is head of the School of Media, said: “We are pushing the boundaries of media practice and research and through a range of courses, we are redefining media landscapes. Students come here to study journalism, film, media production, media communication, PR and music industries. They graduate with core media skills - but with an edge and flair allowing them to adapt in an ever-changing media landscape.”

More than 400 students enrol every year with the School of Media, which is based at the university’s city centre campus, Millennium Point.

If you would like to visit the School of Media (Post code: B4 7XG) please e-mail Press Club vice-chairman Fred Bromwich at fred.bromwich@btinternet.comto reserve your place.

A Midlands newspaper has made 3,000 archive photographs – some of them more than 50 years old - available free to the public online

The Wolverhampton-based Express & Star has uploaded the images as part of a project which eventually aims to preserve its entire 140-year-old archive in digital form.

The project was set up in 2008 by the Express & Star, along with the University of Wolverhampton and Wolverhampton City Archives, to ensure photos taken throughout the 20th Century were made available to the public via an online platform.

Development funding of £59,800 was initially awarded to the partnership in 2014, and since then archiving work has been carried out by a group of volunteers, followed by the digitisation of part of the collection and the development of the website.

The first images to be published on the website include photos from the 1960s taken at steel industry operations across the Black Country, images from the final years of mining and pictures of workers for brands with local heritage including Cadbury’s and Chubb.

Express & Star editor Martin Wright said: “We are delighted that the first photos have been brought back to life for local people to revisit their shared history, all on a website made available for free.

“We are grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting our partnership with the University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton City Archives and local community groups.

“Some printed images are deteriorating over time so the preservation work is vital. Thank you to all of the readers and members of the public who supported the project during the painstaking work needed to preserve the photographs.”

Chris Leggett, marketing and communications director of Express & Star publisher Midland News Association, who chaired the project steering group, said: “On behalf of everyone who worked on the project, I would like to thank all our partners and supporters for their combined efforts in preserving these photos for future generations. We are especially grateful to our volunteers, who gave a combined total of 260 days of goodwill time to help organise the physical archive ready for its transition to digital.”

Work will now begin on securing funding to preserve other historic photos, including local and mostly unseen images of World War II, as well as landmarks and places.

The collection includes wartime images which were not published due to government censorship and a photograph of American civil rights activist Malcolm X visiting Smethwick in 1965, nine days before he was assassinated.

Following digitisation, the original images have been transferred to Wolverhampton City Archives where they will be preserved for future generations.

Journalism student Samuel Gill has become the first recipient of a new basketball internship, which has been launched by the Leicester Mercury in partnership with current British champions Leicester Riders.

As part of his internship, Samuel, a first-year student at De Montfort University, will work with the Riders to learn marketing and content production techniques and with the Mercury’s sister website Leicestershire Live to learn digital publishing. In addition, he will be reporting on the Rider’s games.

“As an aspiring journalist, I see this as a perfect opportunity for me to further my experience in the industry while gaining an insight into two hugely reputable organisations in the Riders and Mercury,” said Samuel, whose coverage is set to complement match reports and coach columns which are carried by the Mercury.

Editor George Oliver said: “De Montfort University in Leicester is hugely keen to get its students effective work experience in industry. Leicester Riders are the British basketball champions and are hugely keen to reach more people through increased coverage on Leicestershire Live.”

Kevin Routledge, chairman of Leicester Riders, added: “We believe this is a great partnership, working with the Leicester Mercury and DMU, to develop a new source of digital content promoting the Riders, but also increasing the reach of the Leicester Mercury in a world where digital content is so important.”

“We believe this is an excellent way of working innovatively to address current market challenges, while providing a great opportunity for a DMU sports journalism student to develop their skills and experience.”